Available for new engagements

The CFO behind
your Southeast Asia
breakthrough.

I build the financial backbone that lets ambitious founders expand into Southeast Asia, with the clarity and capital discipline of a full-time hire, without the overhead.

Book a Discovery Call → Explore Services
$29M+
Capital Raised
16yrs
Global Experience
7
SEA Markets
Big 4
Trained, KPMG
Kuala Lumpur, MY
Syed Ibn-e-Ali
Syed Ibn-e-Ali
CA · CPA (UK) · IPA Australia
Poo~Pourri●GKHair●StyleDoubler●Solwave●Galaxy Racer●Streamline Media●KPMG●MDEC
Poo~Pourri●GKHair●StyleDoubler●Solwave●Galaxy Racer●Streamline Media●KPMG●MDEC
What I Offer

Seven ways I remove
friction from your growth.

From financial leadership to the operational groundwork of entering Malaysia: one advisor, one relationship, full coverage.

01 Most Popular

Fractional CFO

C-suite financial leadership without the full-time cost. I embed in your team, owning forecasting, investor relations, and capital structure.

  • Financial strategy & board reporting
  • Fundraising & investor relations
  • Cash flow & working capital management
  • IFRS, GAAP & multi-jurisdiction compliance
02

Company Incorporation

Entering Southeast Asia means choosing the right structure from day one. I design investor-ready, tax-efficient entity structures.

  • Entity structuring across MY, SG, ID, TH, PH, VN
  • Holding company & IP ownership design
  • Banking & treasury relationship setup
  • Transfer pricing framework setup
03

Bookkeeping & Finance Ops

Clean books are the foundation of every credible business. I set up and manage accounting infrastructure that's audit-ready.

  • Monthly bookkeeping & close process
  • Chart of accounts & ERP setup
  • Multi-entity consolidation
  • Payroll management (MY, SG, US)
04

Finance Recruitment

The right finance hire changes everything. I identify, assess, and place CFOs, controllers, and analysts who fit your growth stage.

  • CFO, VP Finance & Controller searches
  • Finance team design for scale-ups
  • SEA-specific talent market knowledge
  • Interim coverage while you search
05 Malaysia Specific

MDEC / Digital Registrations

As an MDEC expert panel member, I navigate Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation applications and digital status registrations directly.

  • Malaysia Digital (MD) status applications
  • Eligibility assessment & document prep
  • Application submission & liaison with MDEC
  • Post-approval compliance guidance
06 Malaysia Specific

Residence Pass, Talent (RP-T)

As an RP-T holder myself, I guide qualifying professionals through Malaysia's Residence Pass-Talent application, from eligibility through documentation and submission.

  • Eligibility screening against RP-T criteria
  • Document preparation & application strategy
  • End-to-end application management
  • First-hand experience as an approved holder
07 Malaysia Specific

Office Space Search

Setting up locally needs the right physical footprint too. I help you find, evaluate, and negotiate office space across Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia.

  • Requirements scoping & shortlist sourcing
  • Co-working, serviced, and conventional leases
  • Lease negotiation support
  • Local market & pricing knowledge
About

Built in Big 4.
Tested in the arena.

I started at KPMG, auditing 13 international nonprofits and listed companies. That foundation was rigorous and detail-obsessed, with no shortcuts, and it never left me. What came after was building and leading finance functions at companies actually in the game: Rocket Internet's Southeast Asian expansion, global gaming studios connected to Street Fighter, Final Fantasy, and Cyberpunk, DTC brands shipping to consumers in 40+ countries.

As CFO at Galaxy Racer, I helped orchestrate deals with Netflix, McDonald's, Nike, and Tencent. As Interim Group CFO at StyleDoubler, I run finance across 7 entities in 6 countries. As a fractional CFO for DTC brands like Poo~Pourri and GKHair, I built the systems that let founder-led businesses operate like institutions.

I'm based in Kuala Lumpur as an RP-T holder, which puts me at the centre of everything happening in Southeast Asia. I've personally raised over $29M in equity and debt for the companies I've served.

"
Chartered Accountant
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan
"
Associate CPA (UK)
Cert No. 273109116A
"
Member, IPA Australia
Cert No. 323940
"
Controller of the Year
Coxociety & Digital CFO, 2022
"
MDEC Expert Panelist
Talent Expert Network Committee
"
CFO Symposium Speaker
CFO Malaysia, 2022
Markets

Southeast Asia is
my home turf.

Most advisors know this region from a distance. I live and operate here, across tax regimes, banking relationships, and regulatory bodies, in real time.

🇲🇾
Malaysia
HQ Base
🇸🇬
Singapore
Holding Structures
🇮🇩
Indonesia
Operations
🇹🇭
Thailand
Operations
🇻🇳
Vietnam
Market Entry
🇵🇭
Philippines
Operations
🇺🇸
United States
SaaS & Tax
🇫🇮
Finland
EU Bridge
How It Works

From first call to
full integration.

01
Discovery
A 60-minute conversation mapping your current state, gaps, and goals. No commitment, full candour.
02
Diagnostic
I assess your financial infrastructure, team, and compliance posture, then deliver a written findings report.
03
Engagement Design
We agree on scope, cadence, and outcomes. Flexible retainer or project-based, built around your stage.
04
Embedded Execution
I work as part of your leadership team, in your tools, in your meetings, accountable to your board.
Track Record

Numbers that
speak for themselves.

"

Led financial strategy across 7 legal entities in 6 countries simultaneously, building centralized treasury and AP functions while reporting directly to a Yahoo Japan Group investor.

StyleDoubler · Interim Group CFO · 2025–Present
"

At Galaxy Racer, orchestrated collaborations with Netflix, McDonald's, Nike, Tencent, Disney and LaLiga as the region's CFO, while driving the SEA & APAC expansion strategy.

Galaxy Racer · CFO Southeast Asia · 2022–2023
"

Built and scaled the finance function at Streamline Media Group from Financial Controller to Head of Finance, reducing operational costs by 34% while the company went global.

Streamline Media Group · Head of Finance · 2016–2022
Let's Talk

Ready to build your
Southeast Asia foundation?

Whether you're pre-seed or Series B, expanding into your first SEA market or setting up your first Malaysian entity, let's find out if we're the right fit.

Email Me Directly Connect on LinkedIn

+60 17 876 9786 · alisyed@koralbyte.com · Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia